Cape Town - The Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) received another boost as 250 new learner law enforcement officers signed on for duty on Wednesday.
The City of Cape Town, together with the Western Cape government, have ensured that the contracts for new LEAP officers were completed yesterday, which will now further help tackle crime in areas such as Delft, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Bishop Lavis and Philippi.
The new officers will enforce by-laws and assist enforcement agencies with crime prevention, which will include stop and searches and house searches in conjunction with the South African Police Service.
Officers will hit the ground once they have gone through induction and finalised their training.
Mayor Dan Plato said: “The safety of our residents remains a priority for the City as is evident by our commitment to LEAP, despite budget limitations.
“This partnership will assist in ensuring our city is safer and where no resident needs to live in fear. It will not be an easy task, but one the City won’t step back from. We are in this for the long haul.”
All of the officers have undergone the required training, including Peace Officer Training, a Traffic Warden Certificate and training in the by-laws of the City of Cape Town. They will continue to receive further training.
The recruits will enhance enforcement efforts already underway in areas such as Delft, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Bishop Lavis and Philippi.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith said: “The officers who have already been deployed continue to make an impact in communities and are making huge inroads into curbing crime.
“The programme will continue to help keep communities safer and it is worth a reminder that LEAP is not being touted as a magic wand. The crime that plagues our communities will not end overnight, but every firearm confiscated is potentially a life saved.
“Every arrest, though it may not seem significant, is one more criminal off the street,” Smith said.
“While safety is the primary responsibility of the South African Police Service, the City continues to contribute to filling the gaps left by inadequate police resources.
“The officers are deployed in areas where assistance is most needed, and while they are doing their part, we need SAPS to step up as well,” he said.
Smith added that during the first three months of this year, officers have already confiscated 29 firearms and made 757 arrests.
“The new officers will build on this record and will visit schools, businesses and go door-to-door to build essential relationships with their communities. They will be there as a visible deterrent and provide a faster response to crimes or anti-social behaviour,” said Smith.
Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz said the programme was making steady progress in the deployment of the next tranche of LEAP officers.
“I want to commend these brave women and men for the commitment they have made to improving the safety of residents in the Western Cape. My department has allocated R350 million to the LEAP programme for the 2021/22 financial year.
“Through our Area-Based Team approach, we have now established integrated Law Enforcement Technical Committees in six focus areas including Delft, Bishop Lavis, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Philippi and Mitchells Plain. I am confident that they will contribute to halving the murder rate and prevent violence in these communities,” Fritz said.
“I am pleased to announce that this month, we deployed a new cohort to Mitchells Plain who will be topped up with additional officers at a later stage.
“Our next tranche of 500 law enforcement officers will join the cohort by October 2021 as officers complete their training.”
Fritz added that this tranche will benefit Kraaifontein, Harare, Mfuleni and Gugulethu. Going forward, his department will request that the Western Cape treasury continue to provide additional funding for the LEAP programme.
Cape Argus